Timing
by HighD
Summary: Hogwarts is holding three masquerades thoughout the course of three weeks. Lily meets a boy but she wont allow him to reveal his identity till the last night. At the same time though she's getting a little to cozy with a Mr. James Potter. LJ lovehate :)
1. chapter one

Timing  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize it belongs to J. K. Rowling. As I am nowhere near talented to come up with it by myself. However if you don't recognize it that is my feeble attempts to write. I hope you like it!!  
  
+*+*+*  
  
When I looked in the mirror I couldn't recognize the face staring back at me. I grinned as I grabbed my purse and rushed out of the dorm to the great hall.  
  
You see of r some odd reason the professors thought it would be a good idea to have a masquerade. We weren't allowed to come with people and we could do anything we wanted to to disguise ourselves. There was going to be three different dances spread throughout three weeks. And for some reason the dances were scheduled to be on Thursdays. Don't ask why, I have no clue. At midnight we were too take off our masks and reveal whom we were to or partners and the dance would still be going for another two hours. I didn't like this rule however and wasn't going ot show anybody who I was till the last night.  
  
I was wearing a deep red colored dress that if I wasn't wearing my four inch heels would be dragging on the ground. It was very low cutting the front and even lower in the back. I had long sleeves that grew wider the further they got down. My hair was colored black and hung in tight curls all down my back. My eyes were gray. Both things I thought would throw people off considerably for they were nothing like my normal colors. I had charmed the mask I had out over my eyes to add this feature so when I finally took it off I would be back to normal.  
  
When I walked into the hall I was amazed by the glamour of it all. It was wondrously beautiful. Decorated like an olden days ball or some grand occasion held by someone with quite a bit of money to blow on useless thrills.  
  
I walked over to the refreshment table and got something to drink for I had missed the feast because of the simple fact that I was not hungry. I sniffed the drink ever mindful that there was going to be something that the mauders had undoubtfully spiked. One thing I really didn't like were the mauders however I found there pranks normally hilarious. They were just so, funny. There were certainly ones I didn't like as much as others but who would really like getting pranks pulled on them that they couldn't even change back?  
  
Beside the point. The punch smelt strongly of vodka, grinning I brought the cup to my lips and downed the entire cup. I was about to lad myself more when I saw someone watching me from the other side of the floor. He had red hair and sea green eyes. A lovely combination I must say. After all I had the same features, most of the time. Grinning I got myself more and turned away form him but not before winking at him. I didn't really want to get stuck dancing the first chance I got I wanted to get drunk. I was about to get myself a third cup when a hand reached out and stopped mine.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
Would anyone want to beta for me????? If so please tell me! And leave me you e-mail. Thnkx  
  
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Review!!  
  
p.s. if you couldn't' get it the chapter was in Lily's POV 


	2. chapter two

"Hey, what are you doing?" I shouted, turning towards the person depriving me of my drink.  
  
"I'm dancing with you." Said the boy who had just minutes ago been across the floor before pulling me on to the dance floor.  
  
"Oh, really?" I asked already buzzing slightly. "Well personally I'm used to being asked." I said grinning at him.  
  
"Ah, but that's the brilliance you have to dance. You're in the middle of the dance floor." He said grinning back as he slid his hands around my waist and started dancing with me to the music.  
  
"So then in all fairness you cheated." I stated craning my neck to look up at him seeing as he was at least five inches taller then me. Even in my heels.  
  
"Well I wanted to make sure that there was know way that I would be able to miss the opportunity to dance with the prettiest girl at the ball." He said flashing her a gorgeous grin.  
  
"Oh yes. For that would be just a cryin' shame." I said with a fake South American twang.  
  
We danced up till it was about ten minutes till midnight. Kissing a few times when we felt like it. I know we didn't even know each other. But that's what made it all fun. That's when I slipped away saying that I had to use the bathroom. In truth I was just making it so that when midnight hit I wouldn't be there to reveal who I was.  
  
I left the hall and went back to the Gryffindor common room. I walked up the stairs to my dorm and fell onto my bed. The night was too much fun. I couldn't wait till next Thursday where hopefully I would be able to find and dance with the mystery boy, as I had decided to call him, again.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
A few hours later the girls that I roomed with returned a pestered me about why I was back so early. I just grinned and told them all about mystery boy. When I got to the part where I told them I had left without telling him or showing him who I was I was surrounded by numerous shrieking girls shouting about how they couldn't believe I did that and other things similar.  
  
I found it all amusing. We then proceeded to have all the other girls tell about their dates. There was one girl, Kristin Blair, who had ended up with a Slytherin.  
  
After around an hour worth of talking, we finally went to bed. Unfortunately morning would be arriving all to soon for me.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
Sorry about it being another short one!  
  
I'm going to have them get longer!  
  
Well I hope you liked it!  
  
I know not very much happens yet but don't' worry all in good time! :)  
  
review. . .Review . . .REVIEW!!! 


	3. chapter three

~ Third Person ~  
  
"Wake up!!" Lily's best friend Tiffany Summers.  
  
"To early!" Lily moaned rolling away from the light that was streaming in through the crack in her hangings that Tiffany had made.  
  
"Its past eight."  
  
"What!?!" Lily shrieked as she tore out of bed. "What the hell is wrong with you?!? You know I wake up at seven!! Why didn't I wake up???" Lily shouted as she stomped of to the shower.  
  
"How can you so that? I'd be afraid of being slaughtered." Kristin said walking up behind tiffany.  
  
"Oh, Lily wouldn't do that. She's just not a morning person."  
  
"That's an understatement." Kristin mumbled walking out of the dorm.  
  
Lily walked out of the bathroom around twenty minutes later with her hair- soaking wet in her school uniform. She went to the mirror and dried her hair with a simple spell, she applied her makeup and finally with twenty minutes left of breakfast announced herself finished.  
  
"Wonderful, done in just enough time for me to be able to pretend to have breakfast." Tiffany grumbled. She was always hungry.  
  
"Oh hush. If you were so hungry you should have just gone and ate something." Lily said picking up her bag and heading through the portrait whole towards transfiguration. Their first class of the day.  
  
They got into the class just as the bell was ringing. They sat down into here normal seats and noticed that there were still four empty seats near them. Also McGonagll wasn't in the room for some reason. It was very unlike her to be running late.  
  
"Who's missing?" Lily asked Tiffany while looking around the room.  
  
"You mean besides McGonagll right?" Tiffany asked  
  
"No, what do you think?" Lily asked sarcastically.  
  
"Only the mauders." Tiffany whispered back.  
  
"Why? Is it to hard for them not to bug me??" Lily asked as she banged her head on her desk repeatedly in frustration.  
  
"Well, if it isn't our lovely head girl. How are you this fine day?" asked the one and only James Potter with his group of idiots right behind him.  
  
"It was fine till your sorry ass showed up." Lily growled.  
  
"Wow, not in good mood this morning?? Have difficulties at the masquerade?"  
  
"Unfortunately for you, no. You piece of shit. My roommates forced me to stay up till practically dawn telling them about my 'magical night'."  
  
"Oh, so some poor soul did end up with you. What happened? Died of horror when you took off your mask?" Sirius asked joining in with the conversation.  
  
"Fuck off."  
  
"Cussing," James said shaking his head. "Very naughty. What if some poor impressionable first year heard you say that?"  
  
"That's the wonderful thing about having advanced classes. No first years seem to be in them do they?" Lily asked James sweetly. "Don't think about it." Lily suggested patting James on the head. "We don't want you to have a heart attack. After all it would be the first time your brain had been used in over seventeen years now wouldn't it?"  
  
"Oh, best you can do Evans??"  
  
"Very bad thing to say Potter!" Lily growled Pulling out her wand. She pointed it at James and his hair turned neon green while a blinking sigh flashed saying 'I love Snape.' James took out his wand and Lily' hair turned into a bunch f vines that trickled down her back. Lily and James continued to curse each other and they grew steadily worst when McGonagll walked in.  
  
"Stop!!" She shouted as she shot sparks out of her wand they showered down over the two causing there air around the two grow heavier, this may have made it harder for them to fight, but that didn't stop them only slowed them down.  
  
"If you two don't stop, it will be a hundred points form Gryffindor!" McGonagll shouted.  
  
"He/She started it! " they shouted at the same time! Glaring at each other.  
  
"I don't really care! You two are the head students and shouldn't be fighting! Ten points from Gryffindor! Now take your seats so that I can get on with my class!" McGonagll shouted before turning to the front of the class.  
  
"Bloody prat getting me in trouble." Lily whispered so that McGonagll couldn't hear.  
  
"Fuck off Evans. It was your fault." James whispered back  
  
"Mr. Potter I do not allow profanities in my class. And detention for trying to provoke Mrs. Evans." Lily grinned as she sat back in her chair.  
  
"Mrs. Evans you also get detention."  
  
"What! Why?" Lily shouted.  
  
"I may be old but I'm not deaf."  
  
"Stupid Potter." Lily grumbled whishing the class to end.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
The rest of the day went by quickly for Lily and she found herself going to bed before she knew it, already picturing the robes she would be buying in Hogesmede for the next to masquerades.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
Hope you like!!  
  
Writ more soon!!  
  
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enjoy  
  
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	4. chapter four

Lily woke up the next morning at seven and hopped into the shower. When she got out she saw that none of the girls in her dorm were up and decided to give them all a wake-up call. She quickly cast a spell and ran out of the room. Lily was running down the stairs when she collided with something and fell down the last five steps.  
  
"Move!" Lily shouted trying to get out from under the person who had fallen on top of her.  
  
"What's the hurry, Evans? Personally I am quite comfortable." James said from on top of her.  
  
"Potter I don't have time for this!!" Lily shrieked trying even harder to push him off of her.  
  
"Well . . . " An explosion from the girls' dormitories cut James off. Immediately afterwards four girls came storming down the stairs.  
  
James, startled from the noise made, allowed Lily to push him off of her  
  
"Lily!" one of the girls shrieked, as she and the rest of the girls ran towards them.  
  
"Crap!" Lily shouted before pulling up James and hiding behind him.  
  
"Evans what did you do?" He asked as she huddled behind him.  
  
"James." One of the girl shouted, trying to get his attention. Lily did the only thing she could think of, she pulled him down and kissed him full on the lips.  
  
"Don't bother him Jessie. He never hears anything when he's snogging someone."  
  
"Besides Lily always runs away when she plays a trick on us." Kristin added as the four ran out of the common room.  
  
"Are they gone?" Lily asked as she broke away from James.  
  
"What the hell was that?"  
  
"Well I couldn't let you tell them where I was now could I?" Lily asked peering tentatively around his shoulder.  
  
"So you kissed me?"  
  
"What else was I going to do?" she asked craning her neck to look up at him, "Its not like you didn't enjoy it." Lily said annoyed.  
  
"Cocky, are we?"  
  
"Only when I should be." Lily said walking back up the stairs to her room.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
Lily was able to hide form her friends until she went to Hogesmede. Lily was walking into the rode shop when she saw them. She quickly stooped down behind one of the rows of robes.  
  
"Oh, Lily." A voice called across the many rows of clothing.  
  
"Shit," She whispered. "Yes?" she asked sweetly standing up and pretending that she was looking at the robes.  
  
"Where have you been?" Tiffany asked sweetly walking up to her.  
  
" Oh, you know here and there."  
  
"Uh-huh . . . did you hear your about our wake-up this morning?" Jessica asked sweetly.  
  
"No, what happened?" Lily asked rifling through the dresses.  
  
"There was some weird sort of explosion."  
  
"How odd."  
  
"We know you did it." Kristin announced.  
  
"You have no proof." Lily reminded her.  
  
"Your were lucky, next time you wont be." Jessica said walking away to check out the other robes.  
  
"Really you think they were going to kill me or something." Lily said to Tiffany the only one who hadn't gone to look at robes,  
  
"Beauty sleep is very important." Tiffany replied glancing from Lily to the robes with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, I'm curious, is James as good of a kisser as people say?"  
  
"Oh yeah . . . Wait! I mean, oh shit." Lily grumbled. "Please don't tell them." She begged indicating the others.  
  
"Oh, we'll have to wait and see." Tiffany said an evil grin sliding onto her face.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
Meanwhile over at Three Broomsticks we find the mauders. They are sitting by a table near the window and checking to all of the passing females. Well Sirius and James are anyway.  
  
"Mandy Graham." Sirius asked,  
  
"Dated her in fifth year for two weeks. Very clingy."  
  
"Holly Mitchell."  
  
"Slightly fat, relatively cute."  
  
"Jennifer Jones."  
  
"Poser changes to suit her needs."  
  
"Ah, so we don't like that one?"  
  
"Not in the least."  
  
"Alright, Kristin Blair."  
  
"Pretty, not my type."  
  
"Tiffany Summers."  
  
"The perfect reflection of the stereotype blonde. And very annoying."  
  
Sirius grinned over at Remus, "Lily Evans."  
  
"Very hot, good kisser."  
  
"Oh, and how would you know? I agree with the hot thing, but kissing? Is there something your not telling us Jamseie?" Sirius asked in a pretend worried tone.  
  
"Fuck,"  
  
"Ah, ah. Now that's not good. Here, unlike in class, there are impressionable youngins. Seeing their head boy cuss, why, the horrors." Sirius said smiling over at James.  
  
"Alright, you want to know what happened?" James asked grinning.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Be warned James, if Lily finds out that you squealed about something she doesn't want other people to know, you are screwed majorly."  
  
"Remus shut-up I want to here this!!" Sirius wined.  
  
"So, I was going over to the girls dorm for . . . something and I was pushed down the stairs, right? Well you'll never guess what was under me." James said grinning. "Miss Evans seemed to be in a rush and was trying to push me off of her. When an explosion came form her room. She was able to get up and she pulled me with her as a shield."  
  
"Well that sounds like her anyway." Remus commented  
  
"Anyway one of her friends asked me something, and she says that she couldn't allow me to tell on her and that's why she kissed me. I know that the real reason is because she's madly in love with me and afraid to say so."  
  
"Really? So that's where she was?" Came a girls voice from behind them.  
  
"Why hello Jessica, how's it going?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Wonderfully. But now if you'll excuse me I have something I need to do." She said grinning and cracking her knuckles. "Oh Lily!" she called as she walked further into the pub, where her friends sat.  
  
"Well, I have to get going." James said hurriedly as he sprinted out of the pub door and off down the street.  
  
"How far do you think he'll get?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Pretty far, it doesn't look like Jessica's telling her that she knows."  
  
"Ah, blackmail." Sirius said sitting back in his chair grinning.  
  
*+*+*+*  
  
The rest of the weekend went by very quickly. Monday with the same rapid fell. And before Lily knew it, she was walking to the transfiguration classroom for her detention. With James.  
  
*-*-*-  
  
Another chapter  
  
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Have more soon!  
  
Review!  
  
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	5. chapter five

Lily walked into the classroom and saw that James was already there sitting on one of the desks.  
  
"Oh, I forgot it was with you." Lily sighed as she sat down in one of the desks closer to the door.  
  
"Ms. Evans, you and Mr. Potter are going to be helping me grade papers."  
  
"What?" James asked startled, "Not cleaning? I might die of shock."  
  
"Shut-up, I don't wanna clean!" Lily growled. McGonagll then gave both of them huge piles of parchment and told them she would be back in an hour to see how they were doing and not to destroy anything.  
  
A while later James started laughing.  
  
"What is so bloody humorous that you have to bother me?"  
  
"I'm not bothering you."  
  
"Yes you are! I can't concentrate when you make that obnoxious sound."  
  
"Shut-up Evans."  
  
"I would tell you the same thing, but I have a feeling you don't know how!"  
  
"Oh, that hurts." James said sarcastically.  
  
"Well your brain probably still hasn't grasped what I have said." Lily patted his head for effect.  
  
"God, why the hell do you have to act like you know everything?"  
  
"I don't Potter! You are just a special case, seeing as you know nothing."  
  
"Bitch" James said stepping closer to her.  
  
"Moron." Lily said stepping closer to him as well.  
  
"Slut" James said with a very slight trace of a smile on his face as he once again moved closer to her.  
  
"Ass."  
  
"Whore."  
  
"Ah, but you see unlike you I don't sleep with anything that walks, so I think you have that mixed up."  
  
"I do not sleep with anything that walks!"  
  
"Oh, yes. I forgot it also has to be well. . . endowed lets say." Still walking closer with everything said putting them practically nose-to-nose.  
  
"Very good."  
  
"Blo . . ." James cut her off by bringing his lips down and plastering them on top of hers. Expecting for her to pull away he was very pleased when she deepened the kiss. One of Lily's hands was tangled in his messy hair while the other one was running up and down is back lazily. James licked her bottom lip with his tongue and Lily opened her mouth straight away in response before playfully batting at it. After a while they parted do to the annoying need for air.  
  
"What?" Lily asked when they finally parted.  
  
"I like you." He said trailing kisses down her neck.  
  
"Since when?"  
  
"A while." He whispered in her ear before going back to her neck and sucking on a sensitive place near her collarbone.  
  
"And what makes you think I like you?" Lily asked smiling slightly.  
  
"You do, everyone does." James said grinning down at her  
  
"Cocky, aren't we?"  
  
"Only when I should be."  
  
"Fucking prat." Lily muttered.  
  
"Fucking? Well I didn't know you wanted to go that far." James said in a fake shocked voice.  
  
"Egotistical moron."  
  
"Much more your style."  
  
"Since you know me so well." Lily asked sarcastically.  
  
"You have no idea." James whispered sweeping her into another kiss. Lily slipped one of her hands under his shirt and was pleased to find that his chest was very firmly toned. James seeing this as an invitation slipped his one hand under her shirt and was rudely interrupted by someone clearing his or her throat in the doorway.  
  
"We're busy." Lily said pulling James back right after she said it.  
  
"I can see that Ms. Evans." Came the voice of Professor McGonagll.  
  
"Shit," Lily mumbled as she reluctantly pulled away from James. "Well hello professor." Lily said sweetly turning to her, "I didn't notice you came in." She heard someone snort from behind her.  
  
"I'm sure. Have you finished with all the papers I gave you?" McGonagll asked looking over at there desks.  
  
"Most?" Lily asked glancing over at her graded stack which was only slightly taller them her un-graded one. McGonagll sighed.  
  
"You may go, but you normally wont get out of it. Hurry before I change my mind."  
  
"Great! See ya Professor M," James said grabbing Lily's hand and dragging her out of the classroom. He pushed her up against a wall eager to get back to what they had been doing. James moved his hand up Lily's shirt when he felt her jerk it back down.  
  
"Not in the hall." Disappointed James reluctantly relented to only snogging.  
  
Quite a while later the two where seen entering the common room around five minutes apart from each other looking quite ruffled, but thoroughly pleased.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
I hope you like it!!  
  
Review . . . Review . . .REVIEW!!!  
  
enjoy  
  
:) 


	6. chapter six

Thursday came quickly for Lily. Her and James had quite a few snogging sessions but nothing more. They also hadn't mentioned it to anyone yet. When Lily first told James not to he protested by Lily eventually got him to see reason. (Wink wink)  
  
Lily was in her room getting ready for the next masquerade, which was going to be starting in about thirty minutes. She was wearing a dark green dress with her hair, once again, black, eyes gray and the same mask as the last time.  
  
Lily, finally pleased, walked out of her dorm and out of the common room towards the entrance hall. She had been enjoying her time with James, however, she still was glad for the dances where she was able to go and meet someone different. Lily was still entranced by the mystery boy, and hoped he would be there again.  
  
She walked in and saw that dinner was still going on. However instead of the great tables there was around a hundred smaller ones that each held six students. Lily scanned the hall and noticed that the tables were clearing.  
  
"Perfect timing, again." She mumbled to herself. She wandered over to a table and sat down. She grabbed the cup closest to her and took a sip.  
  
"And you are?" asked a boy sitting across form her.  
  
"Not telling." Lily said shortly before turning from the boy.  
  
"Well I'm afraid that your going to have to get your. . ."  
  
"There you are." exclaimed the boy mystery Lily met at the other masquerade.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd show up." Lily grinned and stood up. Before leaving she turned and gave an icy glare to the boy sitting at the table, "you know if you keep being such a prick to people you might end up with certain, appendages, simply disappearing." She whispered in his ear before turning back to the red haired boy and walked off chattering away.  
  
"Why did you leave last time?" The boy asked her.  
  
"Because it was almost midnight. And when the clock strikes twelve I no longer am mystery girl, cause the mask must come off. So I will leave at midnight."  
  
"Oh, so I'm not allowed to know who you are? Well you must at least give me an alias, I don't like walking around looking for someone that I can't call anything." He whispered pulling her onto the dance floor.  
  
"Why don't you come up with something? I really don't care. That way, I get to name you as well."  
  
"Alright, how about Mystique?"  
  
"Alright, and what should I call you." Lily said, pondering.  
  
"How about devilishly handsome?"  
  
"Cocky eh?"  
  
"Look at me? Why shouldn't I be?" He said pulling her away a little so she could get a better look at him.  
  
"Humph, alright how about, um. . ."  
  
"Is it really that difficult?" He asked slightly annoyed.  
  
"What do you want me to come up with something like, I don't know, Carrot top?" Lily asked cringing from a memory of the Maurders calling her that particular nickname.  
  
He chuckled slightly, "I guess not. So since your not going to let me see who you are can I talk to you sometime during the week?"  
  
"How? I'm not going to tell you who I am, and I can't meet you anywhere you'd know who I am."  
  
"Well good thing for me, I thought ahead." He said grinning at her.  
  
"Oh, really? And how did you know that I wouldn't be allowing you to see me?"  
  
"I didn't it was just a precaution." He grinned back cheekily.  
  
"Alright what is it?" Lily asked back eagerly.  
  
"Have you heard of scratch pads?"  
  
"Sure, everyone has. And everyone wants them. Why?"  
  
"Here." He shoved a package at her. Lily took it and ran her fingers over a rough brown cover of what looked to be an ordinary book.  
  
"What is it?" Lily asked confused.  
  
"Kind of blonde are we?"  
  
"Why should I know what it is?"  
  
"It's a scratch pad."  
  
"What!" Lily shouted almost dropping the previous book, "but those things cost a fortune!"  
  
"Now you have to talk to me!"  
  
"How will I know when you're on?"  
  
"In the corner if you open the book if I'm on it will show a little red dot."  
  
"Okay, how does it work?" Lily asked embarrassed.  
  
" You don't know?"  
  
"If I did, do you think I'd be asking?"  
  
"You just right. And if I'm on it will show up on mine. However you have to touch the dot with the tip of your Quill. And if you want to talk to anyone else you can write in their name and it will automatically take you to them."  
  
"Thank you." Lily smiled up at him,  
  
"So Red what do ya want to do now?"  
  
"Red?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Well I can think of something," he said leading her out of the great hall. Lily wasn't really paying attention to where she was being led. She had a million thoughts scurrying through her mind and she couldn't seem to understand any of them. Nothing made sense to her. All she could think of was the boy leading her. When she felt the cold wind whip around her she yelped in surprise.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Fine I just wasn't expecting to be led outside."  
  
She thought of James. The only places they ever went, were places to sneak away and snog. She watched the moon dance around the lake as her mystery boy held her in his arms.  
  
The one thing that bothered her, was what would she tell James?  
  
+*+*+*  
  
I hope you like this!!!  
  
I'm so sorry that this took so long!!! My computer was being a piece of shit!! And the Internet had only been working for a short amount  
of time  
  
for me again!!  
  
I hope this is okay!!  
  
review. . . Review. . . REVIEW!!!  
  
Thnks and enjoy!!  
  
:) 


	7. chapter seven

Okay, so  
L= Lily  
K= Kristin  
R= Red  
  
+*+*+*  
  
Lily walked onto her room at a little after twelve; she had once again had left him a few minutes before the unmasking was to take place. She walked in and changed, then proceeded into the bathroom and removed her make-up and brushed her teeth. When she lay down on her bed to fall asleep, it wouldn't come. She decided to look at the Scratch pad that Red had given her. It looked simply like an old book. The cover was very coarse not anything like the sleek book she had always imagined. Eventually Lily got bored of simply studding the blank cover. She doubted anyone would have brought theirs to the masquerade and so she didn't even try to see if anyone else was there. She put it on the nightstand willing sleep to come. She was dozing lightly when the noise of the door opening startled her awake. Lily looked over at her clock and it was flashing 2:07.  
  
"Your back early." She said as Kristin walked in the door. "Weren't you out till like five same as everyone else last time?"  
  
"Yes, could say the same for you, about being back early that is." Kristin said. "Your already ready for bed and everything."  
  
"Oh, I was back before twelve."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Because." Lily said smiling "I left early the last time too."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Then I don't have to take of my mask."  
  
"Hun, the whole point is taking off the mask. To see whom you were with."  
  
"I know that's what your supposed to do. Not blonde thank you. I just don't want to find out who he is after like three hours. Whoopee. I wouldn't know him at all. So I'm not going to let him know who I am till the last night. Then there will be more time to figure out if we can actually get along. "  
  
"And after nine hours you're going to know each other?" Kristin asked skeptically.  
  
"Its better then three! And besides then the mystery's partly solved. And in three weeks you can really get pissed with not knowing who your talking to."  
  
"Well aren't we sweet."  
  
"Of course." Lily said with an evil grin. "He is really sweet though." She added.  
  
"How cute."  
  
"Shut-up."  
  
"I think it might even be puke worthy."  
  
"Kristin! You know I think that is the most retarded thing you say!"  
  
"And that's why I could never give up saying it."  
  
"Loser"  
  
"Anyway, what's with the whole leaving? I still don't' get it."  
  
"Just never mind." Kristin was about to say something when, "he let me barrow a scratch pad."  
  
"A what?!?" "Just never mind." Kristin was about to say something when, "he let me barrow a scratch pad."  
  
"A what?!?"  
  
"A scratch pad."  
  
"I heard you." Kristin said exasperated "why?"  
  
"He wanted to be able to talk to me since I wont tell him who I am."  
  
"How cute."  
  
"Yeah, "  
  
"So can I see it?" Kristin asked hopping onto Lily's bed.  
  
"Sure." Lily reached over and took it down off of her nightstand.  
  
"Here."  
  
"God he's got to be rich."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"These things cost a fortune."  
  
"How do you know?" Lily asked glancing nervously at the book.  
  
"I heard"  
  
"How does it work?" Kristin asked turning it over and running her fingers over the cover."  
  
"Well first you open it."  
  
"Smart ass."  
  
"And then he said you just write." Lily tossed Kristin as quill as well.  
  
"What's the dot in the corner for?"  
  
"Oh, he said it means he there. You touch it with you quill and it will let you write to him. Give me it."  
  
"No, I want to talk to him."  
  
"Kristin, I don't think. . ."  
  
"Please!"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty please!"  
  
"Just don't do anything stupid." Lily sighed lying back in her bed.  
  
K- hi  
  
R- Hello, what's up?  
  
K- nada, you?  
  
R- Same, What are you still doing up?  
  
K- thinking of this boy  
  
R- Oh really?  
  
K- yep,  
  
"Kristin I said don't do anything stupid!"  
  
I'm not!"  
  
"Liar, I'm not thinking about him! And he thinks I'M talking to him!"  
  
"You are to, and even if you weren't you are now." Kristin added grinning.  
  
R- and who is this 'boy'  
  
K- you see I'm not sure. And guesses?  
  
"Kristin! I don't want to know!" Lily shouted grabbing for the book.  
  
R- no idea  
  
"He didn't even tell me." Kristin shrieked as Lily tried to take it from her.  
  
"I don't care! You tried! Give it back!"  
  
"No" Kristin shouted as she prang form Lily's be and locked herself in the bathroom.  
  
"Kristin! Get out!" Lily shouted pounding on the door. Nothing. After about half n hour Lily was sitting on the floor and the door opened.  
  
"What did you do?" Lily accused.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Liar. Give it to me." Lily said standing up and grabbing at the book.  
  
"Fine. I'm finished anyway." Lily opened it and the only thing left was to words  
  
R- of course  
  
"What the hell wee you two talking about?!?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Liar!" Lily opened the book again and saw that the dot was gone. Frustrated Lily stomped to her bed and drew the hangings closed.  
  
"Don't be like that Lily."  
  
"Why shouldn't I Kristin?" She snapped. Kristin walked over and opened the hangings.  
  
"Please." Lily glared at her. But then a thought came to her.  
  
"Why were you back so early?"  
  
"I was wondering when you were going to ask!" Kristin said sitting sown on Lily's bed again.  
  
"Well"  
  
"I got stuck with a Slytherin."  
  
"Bummer."  
  
"Yeah, but it was still okay, you see it all started when I walked in. I was swarmed by people and. . ." The rest of the night Lily sat and listened to Kristin tell her about what happened to her at the masquerade.  
  
+*+*+*  
  
Sorry it took so long  
  
*hides*  
  
Anyway I hope you like it!  
  
Review!  
  
:)  
  
enjoy 


	8. chapter eight

Lily spent the next day trying to figure out how to pick between her mystery guy and James.  The only thing keeping her form just deciding to skip the next dance and stay with the boy she already know she was attracted to was the fact that he only seemed interested in the physical aspect of relationships, and Her mystery boy seemed to like talking and learning about her.

Her dilemma plagued her during all of her Friday classes. James being in most of them didn't help make things any easier with looking at her all of the time and acting, in Lily's opinion, cuter then normal on purpose.  

"Why in the world would someone think to schedule a dance for a Thursday!" She shouted at Tiffany reapplying her make-up in between classes. "Does he want me to go crazy? What do you think? It stupid that's what I think! Because it is! How could anyone think to let teenagers who normally have enough problems getting up and not getting distracted, be out ALL night! Why??"

"Clam yourself. You just…"

"Your no help. I'm going to get to class." Lily grumbled leaving the room, "Useless friends not giving advice when called upon, no let's wait till I don't want it to give any! Dumb…"

Tiffany listened to her chuckling when the door closed.

+*+*+*

The day dragged on with James's constant stare driving Lily mad. When class ended she bolted for the door before Professor Flitwork was even finished talking and ran down the hall to her room. She threw herself on the bed and glared out of the window.

"Why did this happen to me!" 

No answer came. Of course it wouldn't have. The hours crept by as Lily lay there thinking about everything and nothing. How would she chose between James whom she new. Who was solid? And Red who she my never like. Who one may end up just being a dream she met but never got to keep.  

Lily got up and pulled the scratch pad off of her nightstand and looked to see if Red was on. No luck. She stuffed it in her pocket and lay back down, useless thoughts about both boys ragging a war inside of her head.

+*+*+*

At dinner James walked over to her. "Evans we have a head meetings in an hour. Same place as always." 

"Okay." 

"Don't be late."

"Don't worry, if anything, you best make sure your on time." She snapped glaring up at him. He was glaring back at her but masked inside the glare she saw the joy of the game in his face but no real hatred. How will ending what they had, was it even enough to be a relationship? They didn't know each other beyond the kisses they shared. Lily just looked away and he walked back to join his friends. 

Nothing out of the ordinary. There was no battle going on in his head of what to do. Lily stood up a little while later and left to the heads lounge. She mumbled the password and found that James was not there yet.  She pulled out her scratch pad and found the red dot in the corner.

L-HEY

R-HI

L-WHAT YA DOING?

R- NOT MUCH, BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO SOON I HAVE TO BE SOMEWHERE SOON.

L-OH… OKAY, THAT'S COOL

R- ARE YOU MAD?

L- NO, DISAPPOINTED I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU.

R- I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TOO.

L- I KNOW. 

R- I'M SORRY.

L- ITS HARD ISNT IT? 

R- HUH??

L- TRYING TO GET TO KNOW SOMEONE WHEN THEY WONT LET YOU EVEN HAVE A HINT WHO THEY ARE.

R- IT'S FINE… ARE YOU OKAY?

L- YEAH, I'M JUST CONFUSED.

R- DO YOU WANT TO TA LK ABOUT IT? I'LL BE ON LATER AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO HELP YOU ANYWAY I CAN.

L- NO, I DON'T THINK YOU'LLBE MUCH HELP. NO OFFENSE, 

R- ALRIGHT. I'M SORRY, BUT I REALLY DOHAVE TO GO.

L- OKAY, BYE.

          Lily shut the book over at the clock it was chiming, seven o'clock.  Lily had been there for over twenty minutes. 

"And he told me not to be late." She grumbled glaring at the door and fidgeting restlessly.

"Sorry," James said falling into the room.

"Good."

"So what do you want to do for our _meeting_?"

"Hum… I guess we could work on something." Lily said reading down and grabbing some parchment and a quill out of her bag. She glanced up at the appalled expression stretched over his face and burst out laughing.

"Oh, so that's what you wanted to do. Well, why didn't you say so?" Lily asked sweetly sitting back up and leaving her things lying on the floor.

"You knew this is what in had in mind. Your just cruel."

"To true," she said moving closer and sitting on his lap, "So Mr. Potter what kind on meeting did you have in mind?" 

Instead of answering, James pulled Lily's mouth down onto his, in a sweet, gentle kiss.

+*+*+*

I'm sooo sorry it took me so long to post!! 

But I have something now!

I hope you like it, and I'll have more as soon as I can. 

Thanks to all my reviewers your absolutely wonderful!!

review. . . Review. . . REVIEW!!

:)


	9. Chapter Nine

_Memo to me, have weekends abolished. _Lily sat huddled in a corner on Sunday night trying with all her might not to be noticed by James or any of his little crew.  Not something people who normally was dating someone would do, but Lily had very good reasons.

One, she was not sure if she wanted to keep dating that boy.

Two, if he saw her he would be next to her and bothering her in annoying ways since she will not allow them to tell people that they are now dating.

Three, the aforementioned boy was extremely cute and some inappropriate behavior might ensure if she was found. Not to terrible of a situation if she was not trying to think up a way to break up with him.

And it wasn't fair! She did not want to break up with him. She in fact liked him quite a lot as unimaginable as it seemed.

But then she would think of the mystery boy. Red. He was sweet, and unlike James didn't only want to snog, they talked and got along with each other as well as kissed. It was such a mess.

Lily sighed and glanced around the room as her thoughts ran away form her. She stood up after a quick scan and made to dash up to her room without being spotted. She was almost to the stairs when the portrait whole flew open.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite little redhead!"

"Shit," Lily turned around and sure enough making his way to her with his idiot friends not to far behind was James. Lily shifted her books to a more comfortable position in her arms and raised her eyebrow at the approaching boy. "Something you needed?" she asked coldly. It was to easy to go back into the hating him mode.

"Not at all." He said loudly so the rest of the common room can hear, "come with me." He whispered right in front of her.

"I can't." she said back. "I have homework," she once again shifted the load of books in her arms to prove her point.

"Please? I want you to see it. You'll like it I promise. And if you don't I will let you come back here and do your homework."

"Fine." Lily consented, "just let me put my books away."

"All right."

Lily slowly climbed the stairs and up to her room. She through her books onto her bed and plopped down after them.  She saw the scratch pad on her table and decided James could wait a few minutes so she could see weather or not Red was on. 

She picked up the book and opened it up. Sure enough in the corner there was a little red dot. Quickly she grabbed a quill and touched it to the dot.

L- HEY RED she wrote lying down on her stomach on her bed.

R- WHO?

L- WHAT? YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL YOU

R- OH, I THINK YOU MEAN ONE OF MY DORM MATES. BUT WHY WOULD YOU CALL HIM THAT?

L- I DON'T KNOW WHO HE REALLY IS.

R- WHY? HOW?

L- THE MASQURADE I NEVER LET EITHER OF US TAKE OFF OUR MASKS SO WE WOULD KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER AT THE LAST ONE AND WANT TO KNOW WHO WE WERE WITH

R- ODD, BUT WHATEVER DOES IT FOR YA.

L- WELL TELL RED I SAID HI, I HAVE TO GO.

R- SURE THING, BYE

L-BYE

Lily closed the book and went back down stairs.

"What took so long?" Lames asked from where he was lounging on one of the chairs.

"Nothing important." She said, "So what do you want to show me?"

"Come on." James pulled her out of the common room and down the hall in a rush to get wherever he was going.

"How far is it?" Lily asked after turning down a corridor she didn't remember ever seeing before.

"Not to much farther." James assured her grinning back at her while he pulled her with him.

Lily sighed and let him pull her further and further into a maze of hallways she would never remember. Finally he stopped in front of one of the Portraits

"Red." He said as the picture fell open.

"What?" Lily asked startled. "What is the password?"

"Red? You know the color?" James said looking at her oddly, "are you alright?"

"Fine." She answered a weak smile on her face. "So are we hear?" she asked walking into a completely dark room. James let the portrait shut behind them and they were sounded in darkness.

"What are you… " Lily stopped as the room lit up by tons of candles sprinkled around and a beautiful fire dancing in the fireplace.  "Oh my god." She breathed in awe.

"I hoped you like it." James said grabbing her hand and pulling her with him to the bed in the middle of the room and sitting her down on it and falling gracefully next to her.

"It's like nothing I ever imagined." She said eyes soaking in all the splendor in the room. It was relatively small but cozy. The wash of creams and deep reds made the room look warm and comfortable. "Did you do this all yourself?" she asked him.

"I made the guys help me." James said grinning at her, "Do you like it?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, but I… " She stopped talking to look at his expectant face, "you shouldn't have done this for me." She whispered sadness creeping into her voice.

"Why not? You great! You deserve something special." He said looking at her confused.

"No I'm not, I can't see you anymore." She said so softly he almost missed it with the crackles of the fire.

"What? Why?"

"I just can't." Lily said running out of the room and down the hall towards the Gryffindor tower. Her tears leaving a track from where James sat stunned.

'''' '''' '''' ''''

I can't believe how long I left this. I'm very sorry. I hope it's all right. There are only like three or four chapters left so yeah…

Thank you everyone who reviewed!


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